Britain outside the EU

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

So, maybe a recruitment campaign in the EU might be worthwhile. What do you think?

https://www.ft.com/content/4d6b3be1-...5-91da326cabdc

The driver shortage is an early test of the government post-Brexit immigration policies which prioritise high-skilled immigration and make it legally impossible to recruit foreign HGV drivers, an occupation that is not deemed sufficiently skilled to be eligible for the skilled worker visa.

Kieran Smith, chief executive of Driver Require, a recruitment agency, said their research suggested 12,000-15,000 EU drivers had already returned home, partly because of the Covid-19 pandemic and partly because of tax changes.

Many were self-employed, operating as small limited companies to reduce their tax burden, but this has now been stopped following so-called IR35 reforms by HM Revenue & Customs that require all contractors with turnover above £10m or 50 staff to pay full tax and national insurance on their drivers.

While widely welcomed by the industry, the reforms were adding to the exodus of EU drivers who won’t accept the drop in incomes that come with regularising their tax status.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

So, maybe a recruitment campaign in the EU might be worthwhile. What do you think?

If they could have they would have, be cheaper than offering bounties to poach drivers

---------- Post added at 16:08 ---------- Previous post was at 16:06 ----------

Originally Posted by Hugh

https://www.ft.com/content/4d6b3be1-...5-91da326cabdc

That's funny, I've never heard a driver say that about the tax status but I have from security and warehouse staff, tbh it needed reforming imo, to many people weren't paying in

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

I obviously don't doubt what you say. But if the pay is better here (by the hour,, not the Km), then why won't they EU drivers come here to work?

Brexit does not allow them to work here I guess? Maybe we can advertise in the countries where we are signing new trade deals?

One issue for the workforce size has been lack of new drivers being able to be tested for HGV licences during the pandemic, so hopefully the backlogs here can be addressed. With other people coming off furlough and facing redundancy, there may be more people attracted to re-training as HGV drivers. And perhaps some coach drivers re-training as at least one large coach operator went bankrupt during the peak of the pandemic.

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by Carth

Surely 1/6th of HGV drivers in the UK weren't foreign were they?

If so, that's a massive failing somewhere . . . and a possible nod to the wages on offer that allowed it to happen.

Just shows that the British haulage industry has relied on cheap foreign labour instead of investing and training UK workers. Story of British industry as a whole really.

[nomadking]

HGV driver shortages pre-date the referendum, never mind Brexit.

Eg Nov 2015

Three-quarters of operators are struggling to recruit heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers, despite Government efforts to address the shortfall.

Feb 2016

In the UK right now there is a shortage of licensed, qualified HGV drivers. This is having an impact on the haulage industry as well as the UK economy and it currently shows no sign of improving.

The UK is currently 60,000 HGV drivers short and it is predicted that by 2020 there will be a shortfall of 150,000 drivers.
...
What are the causes of the HGV driver shortage?
There are many factors that are contributing to the shortage of qualified drivers, here are some examples that have been attributed to the shortage.
...
More directives from the EU
The introduction of the controversial Drivers CPC has meant experienced drivers are required to take extra training. This was seen as too much for many drivers who chose to retire rather than complete the Drivers CPC.

And not just the UK.

The loadspace shortage has long been one of the biggest challenges of the logistics industry: Germany alone is nearly 40,000 truck drivers short every year, with an upward tendency. This is the time for carriers and forwarders from industry and trade to take action in order to solve the problem before it is too late

And not just UK and Germany.

The RHA survey of British trucking operators is further evidence that a shortage of truck drivers is an issue confronting not just the U.K. or U.S. but developed economies worldwide.
“A shortage of drivers has been a frequent problem raised by stakeholders from across practically all member states,” a 2012 European Union report on the “road haulage” industry said. Those shortages were spreading from Western Europe to Eastern Europe.

The fundamental problem is:-

“Younger generations have different career requirements, including a lifestyle which will allow a better balance between private and professional life and the possibility to return home on a regular basis,” the report said, echoing studies of the U.S. truck driver shortage.

[Carth]

Oh well, at least there's a good side to all this . . .

100,000 lorries that are no longer clogging up the roads, producing nasty smelly fumes that contribute to global warming and health issues.

Surprised the news channels haven't cottoned on yet, they seem full of environmental stuff lately

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by nomadking

HGV driver shortages pre-date the referendum, never mind Brexit.

Eg Nov 2015
Feb 2016
And not just the UK.
And not just UK and Germany.
The fundamental problem is:-

So what have the shortages been attributed to? That was ommited from the quote

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by pip08456

So what have the shortages been attributed to? That was ommited from the quote

I read that HGVDs were fed up with EU directives and retired; younger generations don't want to drive HGVs (never mind working on the farms).

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by pip08456

So what have the shortages been attributed to? That was ommited from the quote

Can't include the whole of an article, and I did include 2 reasons.
The central points being that it(as usual) has nothing whatsoever to do with Brexit(ie this thread), and has been a worldwide issue for more than a decade.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by nomadking

Can't include the whole of an article, and I did include 2 reasons.
The central points being that it(as usual) has nothing whatsoever to do with Brexit(ie this thread), and has been a worldwide issue for more than a decade.

Climate change, mate.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

I read that HGVDs were fed up with EU directives and retired; younger generations don't want to drive HGVs (never mind working on the farms).

Do you have a link?

---------- Post added at 20:40 ---------- Previous post was at 20:35 ----------

Originally Posted by Carth

Oh well, at least there's a good side to all this . . .

100,000 lorries that are no longer clogging up the roads, producing nasty smelly fumes that contribute to global warming and health issues.

Surprised the news channels haven't cottoned on yet, they seem full of environmental stuff lately

Wouldn't be surprised to see Johnson claiming that Brexit like closing the mines was all about saving the planet.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Do you have a link?
<SNIP>

In this thread.

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...postcount=1925

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

In this thread.

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...postcount=1925

Thanks

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Do you have a link?

---------- Post added at 20:40 ---------- Previous post was at 20:35 ----------


Wouldn't be surprised to see Johnson claiming that Brexit like closing the mines was all about saving the planet.

IIRC Labour closed more mines than the Conservatives.
UK Coal supply dropped in the late 1960s and 1970s. Who was in power both of those times?

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by nomadking

IIRC Labour closed more mines than the Conservatives.
UK Coal supply dropped in the late 1960s and 1970s. Who was in power both of those times?

Not sure that information - correct or otherwise - has any relevance.

2016: Project Fear. 2021: Project Here

Vodafone to bring back roaming charges from January

Vodafone has become the second UK mobile company to reintroduce roaming charges for users travelling in Europe.

From January, new and upgrading customers will be charged at least £1 a day to use their mobile phone in EU destinations, on several tariffs.

It follows similar plans from rival EE, announced in June.

Initially, all operators said they would not reintroduce a roaming charge after Brexit, despite having the option to.

Vodafone's approach is to limit those that include roaming in Europe to "selected plans", including its more expensive options.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58146039